Daikoku-ya Izakaya @ Omoide-Yokocho, Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Affectionately known as Piss Alley at one point in time, this was a place where my very limited Japanese was put to the test. If a camera was recording our night for this one, it would be something of a cross between MTV Jackass, SKY's An Idiot Abroad and BBC's Japanorama. But I guess that is enough  TV show references for now.

One of the many entrances to Omoide-Yokocho

Omoide Yokocho is a row of alleys located in the heart of Shinjuku, where corporate samurais of the modern era unwind for a stick of yakitori and fortification at the end of the day.

Some serious grilling is in the making

Basic fare and humble surroundings, it really shows the true colours of Tokyo's workforce. Laughing away with some food on tow, you can see many suit wearing executives let their hair down with their colleagues and chat till kingdom come. Long story short, a place where people get barbecue and booze before fighting on the next day. What is not to love? Also "yokocho" means side street in Japanese. 

A shot of the interior of Daikoku-ya

Our first choice was a daring one. It was a place called Daikoku-ya. Located at lot 11 of the alley ways, we chose it simply because it was the first place we encountered that did not mention of an English menu. Do take note that places with English menus are generally more expensive, as foreign tourist would generally flock there. There is no harm in patronizing such places. However, immersing with the true local culture at its most raw is part of the experience.  Even when it leads to so many embarrassing gestures and an unexpected bill in the end.

No English at all. This should be fun!

The place is humble, quaint and gritty. Seating spaces are limited and the floors were wet but unavoidable due to the kick back from the typhoon. The establishment allows its patrons to smoke, so unless you are willing to put up with cigarettes, this is not really the place for you. The staff however were friendly and accommodating. The shop owner had an expression of surprise, when she thought I can speak nihon-go as I looked Japanese. Nonetheless, she was kind enough to give some recommendations, which were totally unaware of. What we did was we pointed onto some characters on the menu and on the board and prayed for the best.

The sake menu. We ordered the Black Dragon, which is the second from the left. 

We were served with an appetizer first, which is a norm in Japanese food outlets. Called "otoshi", its a compulsory appetizer, which is usually a disguise for cover charges. 

Our otoshi.
The beginning of the night. First of many delicious entrees.

Its a norm in Japan, so no real escape from it, unlike some places in other countries you can say no to your introductory plate of nuts and it will be deducted from your overall bill.  It was a combination of leftover sake grits with some seafood. It tasted like mash with some minced seafood, which was delicious. As I was a bit hungry at that point in time, I do not mind the compulsory appetizer. 

Intensity in a saucer

The first real dish was very unique and odd at the first place. What looked like glossy rubber bands were actually squid organs, and we knew of it after we did some online research after our meal. Pronounced "ika no shiokara", which translated to salted squid guts, and it was very peculiar. It was very chewy and is coated with a miso like gravy. It was extremely salty and a bit slimy. However, it paired very well with beer. The bitterness and fizz of beer was able to cut through the pungency of the squid guts, leaving it a sweet seafood aftertaste.  The squid guts would probably have gone down better with rice, but that is what you get if you want to play Russian roulette with your bar snacks.I had a pint of Kirin to go with it and we later continued to pair our meal with a local sake brew called Black Dragon in Japanese. It was so local that there is no proper bottle for it, just an emerald coloured vessel with no stickers. 

Chicken on a stick, what is there not to love?

As our sense of adventure waned a little, we then ordered something more conservative: chicken yakitori. Marinated with soy and mirin, it is definitely many steps lower in the adrenaline department. Still a tasty dish though and the flavours of salty and sweet melded perfectly. Chicken was evenly charred and juicy all the way through. Once again, worked well with beer.

Another grilled dish, not complaining over here. 

The next dish we ordered was a grilled saury, which is called "sanma", to which we did it by pointing the next table. The mother-daughter pair of our neighbouring table were not really impressed with our uncouth behaviour, but in the end helped us order and tried to start a conversation with us. Japanese hospitality at its finest. The sanma fish was simply seasoned with salt, but that was enough. With a squeeze of lemon, it was the simple but absolutely delicious. The fish was sweet and fragrant. It was slightly fatty but the meat was supple. Charred evenly and you have a great tasting fish on your table.

Two thumbs up on the cutlery department. A lime wedge was provided.
And its a condiment and not just for show. 

The two ladies were gracious enough to help us order our final dish there, which was matsutake soup. Matsutake mushrooms are a type of mushrooms that are rare and are prized for its unique strong but light flavour. Visually, they look a bit like ceps and do taste a bit similar. Served in a teapot, the mushrooms were allowed to brew with several other ingredients, such as prawns, fish and ginkgo. The clear soup was bursting with flavour. 

Filled with amazing ingredients

The sweetness of the prawns was very pronounced, and the mushroom flavour was strong but not overpowering. There was some parsley inside, which was faint flavour-wise but definitely something easily identifiable. The flavour of the fish was there, but definitely not as strong as the mushroom. We were advised to squeeze a drop of lime juice as it would bring out the flavour. The added acidity brought a new dimension to the soup. However, I felt that it cuts away the sweetness of the soup. Personal preference on the matter probably. Still good with the lime juice though. 

A treasure trove of goodness.
The ingredients that filled the pot. 

We decided to take our leave and called for the bill, which ended up to be ¥5000! But as the experience was so fun and we knew that matsutake is generally very expensive, we did not mind the cost and paid. As the night was still young, we then hopped to another izakaya! So stay tuned for the second part of our Japanese pub food crawl. However, in the meantime, if you would like to know more about Daikoku-ya, click here, which will forward you to Omoide-Yokocho's official website. If you would like to visit the place, the address is as below. Note that they are unrelated to the chain stores that sell jewelry and bags, although they share the same name. 

Address: 160-0023 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ward, Tokyo

Front of the house. An unmissable sign.